Improved snap-hook



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

D. W. LEWIS, OF JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN.

IMPROVED SNAP-HOOK.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 39,295, dated July 21, 1863.

To aIZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, D. W. LEWIS, of Janesvine, in the county of Rock and state of Wisconsin, have invented a new and Improved Harness Snap-Hook; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my snaphook, showing the end of the pivoted tongue detached from the end of the hook. Fig. 2 is a similar view representing' the tongue in its place in the end of the hook. Fig. 3 is a 1ongitudinal section through the tongue and hook.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts in the three iigures.

This invention relates to a novel improvement in harness-hooks, which are usually attached to the hitching-rein and to other parts ofthe harness ot a horse, for effecting a quick and also a safe attachment of the rein to any object which will receive the hook.

The nature ot' my invention consists in a pivoted spring-tongue applied to a hook having a rein-eye on one end of its shank in such a manner that a single pin forms a fastening for the spring and a pivot for the laterallyswinging tongue, said tongue being provided on its swinging end with anotch for receiving a tenon-fastening which is on the end of the hook. This tongue is prevented from casual displacement and at the same time allows ot' an easy manipulation, all as will be hereinat'! ter described.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

In the accompnn ying drawings, a represents a hook, b the semi-cylindrical shank thereof, and c the elliptical rein-eye, to which latter therein is attached. These Ihree parts are or may be formed of one piece ot' metal and manipulated into the form shown in the drawings. The upper 7 side, or that side ot' the shank on which the hook et terminates, be-

ing made flat, it is thus adapted to receive a.

semi-cylindrical tongue-piece, d, which is pivoted at one end to the shank b, near the elliptical eye c, by means ot' a pin, e, which passes through the end of the tongue d, through the end of a curved spring-plate, g, and through the shank b, thus securing the three pieces together which constitute the snap-hook. This pivoted attachment allows of a free lateral motion to be given to the tongue d for the purpose of attaching or detaching the swinging end of the tongue to the end of the hook. The swinging end of the tongue d is curved outward, so that it conformsl to the curve ot' the shank of the hook and so'that when the tongue is in its place the snap presents the appearance shown in Figs. 2. and 3. The end of the curved portion of tongue d is notched, as shown in Figs. l and 3, so as to form on this end a short tooth, l1, and a long tooth, h, and also a notched depression, i. This end is thus adapted to lit the end of the hook a., which is constructed with a tenon, s, which is intended to tit into the notch in the tongue. It will now be seen that in order to attach the curved end ot' the tongue to that of the hook the portions forming the neck of the snap must be pressed together, so as to compress the spring g and thus allow the short tooth h to pass the projection s. Then by releas- .ing the tongue the spring q will force it outward and cause this projection s to enter the corresponding notch in the tongue, thus locking the parts in place; To release the swinging end of the tongue from the end of the hook, or to unlock the parts, the portions b d are pinched together until the tooth h will pass the projection s, and thus released the tongue can be pushed around out of the way, as represented in Fig. 1. The spring gis prevented from swinging round with the tongue d by inserting its free end into a recess, k, formed at the junction ot thc hook with its shank, as shown in the drawings, and the shoulders on each side ot' this spring prevent the end ot' the spring from moving laterally and at the same time allows it to play longitudinally in compressing and releasing it.

It will be seen from the above description that the manipulation ot' my improved snaphook is very simple, and also that it can be constructed very cheap and durable.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as a new article of manufacture- A harness snap-hook constructed with a longitudimilly-dividcd shank or neck, which is compressible, to unlock the pivoted section, and also capable of being opened by a circular side motion.

Witness my hand, in the matter ot' my application for a patent for a snap-hook for harnes and other purposes, this 26th day of May, 18 3.

Witnesses: D. W. LEWIS.

S. A. HUDSON, EZRA MILLER. 

